Jordy Freed is the 32-year-old director of brand and business development, and the head of partner marketing and strategy for video and sound products at Sony Corporation of America. He’s based in New York.
My career journey:
I actually started my career in music publicity in college at 18 years old. Within four years, that quickly evolved to marketing for Blue Note Entertainment Group in NYC. I had a stint at GREY Advertising in their activation and PR division, which then took me back to Blue Note in a vice president role that added business development to my scope. Ultimately, Blue Note led me to Sony, where it’s the culmination of all of my experience (marketing, PR, and business development). I’m so grateful for the privilege.
What my day-to-day looks like:
It may be cliché, but no one day looks the same. It really depends on the priorities of the day, week, or month. But in general, I can be found doing anything from two-hour contract calls with legal to leading a marketing strategy meeting kickoff with an internal team, to solidifying a third-party business development partnership to overseeing an activation or shoot with talent.
My leadership style:
First and foremost it’s about empathy and fairness. It’s also about providing true support and creating a psychologically safe environment. Without these points, there’s no trust. Without trust, there’s no motivation. These are the driving leadership style factors.
Beyond that, I like to give my team space to think for themselves and problem solve. You will rarely—if ever—see micromanagement. Overall, I want my team to feel truly independent, confident in their problem-solving capabilities, autonomous, and supported.
For Freed, a particularly memorable event was a David Bowie activation to celebrate the star's 75th birthday.Photo: Greg Morris
My most memorable event:
There are too many memorable events to name a singular event. Some top events that come to mind: the Sony Hall grand opening, activations for David Bowie and Michael Jackson celebrating their respective anniversaries, and the Intel x Blue Note activation in 2016. There are too many others to count.
My greatest career accomplishment:
Sony Hall. Creating any venue in NYC is no small feat, but to bring together two iconic brands like Sony and Blue Note was a life-changer for me. Without that, I’m not sure I could say I would be at Sony right now. It was transformative in providing me the confidence to operate on the next level. I was also 27 when I did the deal. It opened doors and a world that I dreamed about for years.
The advice I would give my younger self:
It takes years to build the required experience and a career to operate at the level you want to. Just be patient, and focus all of your energy solely on the process.
Freed (right) told BizBash his leadership style is "about empathy and fairness" in order to build trust and steer clear of micromanaging.Photo: Greg Morris
A time I averted a complete event disaster:
This wasn’t a proper “event” per se, but it was an on-site shoot that involved a significant amount of logistics for a highly visible celebrity with a critical partner. The project was on and off for weeks and ultimately didn’t get confirmed until 36 hours before. The stress was handled by accepting what I couldn’t control, and contingency planning early on throughout the process. All of this can be applied to the event space.
What inspires me:
A combination of work- and non-work related things. Non-work related: nature, travel, food, and relaxation. Work related: any opportunity to do something that hasn’t been done before and people who have overcome adversity. Failure inspires me as well.
My ideal day OOO:
Easily spent with my wife. Involving time in nature, good food, relaxation (massage), and escaping from the city.
What’s next for me:
Continuing to build with my team and completing my MBA at USC Marshall.
BizBash's 2023 40 Under 40 list is sponsored by VDA, a Massachusetts-based experiential marketing and event design agency that specializes in custom live, hybrid, and virtual experiences designed to drive business growth through client collaboration and creative thinking.
